THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MR DAVENHEIM

UK, 1990, 50 minutes, Colour.
David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran, Mel Martin, Kenneth Colley, Tony Matthews.
Directed by Andrew Grieve.

One hopes that Hugh Fraser and Philip Jackson received a higher salary for their work in this episode of the television series of Agatha Christie mysteries with David Suchet as Poirot. They do all the legwork, travel and investigations, interrogations. The Chief Inspector has made a bet with Poirot that he cannot solve the case in a week while remaining in his home. Needless to say, Poirot accepts.

The film introduces us to Mr Davenheim, a banker, his working in his office, leaving his wife, walking to the railway station and disappearing. He was to meet another banker with whom he had difficulties in the past at the station but the visitor walked to the house, waited and angrily departed.

An old fisherman witnesses that there was a blind man walking along the road. Later, Mr Davenheim’s clothes are found in the river. In the meantime, the visitor was a Speedway enthusiast and Hastings admires his vehicle. At a rally, the blind man appears, not blind, and pursued by Hastings and Jack and arrested.

Poirot asks permission to leave his apartment in order to be at the final solution – and recognises that the blind man on the road was really Mr Davenheim in disguise, arranging everything to put the blame on the other banker, stealing the jewels after buying up for his wife in order to have finance for his getaway.

At the beginning of the film, the three men go to the theatre and see magic tricks – this theme is continued throughout, Poirot spending his time reading a book and practising tricks (and the notes indicating that David Suchet did all the tricks for himself). Miss Lemon asks him to mind parrot for a week – irritating Poirot but his not being able to make it vanish!

For those who recognise actors, even in make up, it is no secret that Kenneth Colley is playing Mr Davenheim as well as the wandering blind man.

1. The popularity of the television series of Agatha Christie mysteries, David Suchet as Poirot?

2. Poirot, his flat, his office, confined to it for the duration of the film? Hastings, Chief Inspector Japp, the investigation? Miss Lemon at the office? The musical score?

3. The three at the theatre, the magic tricks? Poirot and his interest? Reading the book? Trying all the tricks at home and studying the book? His practice? The irony of the parrot being in the apartment, his looking after it for the week? His attempt to make it disappear and failing?

4. The story of Mr Davenheim, banking, three months to Johannesburg, his relationship with his wife? In the office? Going to the post office, walking? To meet the visiting banker? His disappearance?

5. The banker’s arrival, not seeing Davenheim on the road? Waiting? Impatient? Leaving? His being seen at the Speedway? His interest in the cars, Hastings admiring, getting in the car, the wrong buyer? His continued impatience? The previous difficulties with the at home, money losses? The accusation of murder?

6. Mrs Davenheim, at home, her husband always buying her jewellery, the mystery, the discovery of the open safe and the jewels gone?

7. At home, the behaviour of the maid? Outside, the fishermen and his not doing any work, his stories, the blind man and his assistant? The finding of the clothes in the water, the Chief Inspector supervising?

8. Chief Inspector Japp, the investigations, the bet that Poirot could not solve the case inside his apartment in a week? Japp and the visits, the interrogation, the Speedway? Hastings, Poirot asking him to supply the clues?

9. The theme of magic tricks, the vanishing on the stage, Poirot and the clues?

10. The Chief Inspector letting him visit the prison for the finale? The presence of the tramp, his having the Signet ring in his pocket, accusing the banker of throwing it away? His three months in prison?

11. Poirot unmasking him, the wig, his beard but the fact that he had been shaving? His taking the jewels? The collapse of his bank?

12. The Chief Inspector paying up!